Toy car invention



March 10, 1970 F. A. TU NER TOY CAR-INVENTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1967 mvmon FRANK A. TURNER BY j ATTORNEY F. A.YTURNER 3,499,542

\ 'I'O ICAR INVENTION March 10, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 19, 1967 INVENT OR FRANK A TURNER ATTORNEY March 10, 1970 F. A. TURNER 3,499,542

TOY OAR INVENTION Filed Dec. 19. 1 I Q 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT OR United States Patent 3,499,542 TOY CAR INVENTION Frank A. Turner, Brooke, Va. 22430 Filed Dec. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 691,880 Int. Cl. B66c 23/06; B66d 1/26 US. Cl. 21259 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy railroad car is provided with an operating crane having three winches for raising and lowering the boom and a pair of hoist lines. The winches, which are normally biased out of engagement with a single drive shaft driven by a reversible motor and which are restrained from rotation by engagement with rubber brake pads, may be engaged with the drive shaft by operation of corresponding control levers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to toy railroad cars and, more particularly, to a toy railroad car having an operating crane.

Toy railroad systems which simulate full-sized railroad equipment on a small scale have been popular with children and adult hobbyists for a number of years. Although such systems have always included miniature replicas of standard railroad rolling stock, such as locomotives, passenger cars, box cars and the like, in recent years there has been a trend to the addition of specialized work cars to further enhance the realism. and enjoyment of the miniature system. Where the functions of the work cars are relatively simple, the construction of a miniature replica may be easily accomplished. Where, however, it is desired that the work car have a plurality of diverse operating members, it is difiicult to develop a miniature replica which is not unduly complicated and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a toy having a plurality of operating members and relatively simple means for selectively operating these members.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a toy railroad car having an operating crane and a drive system having a single drive shaft for operating the boom and one or more hoist lines of the crane.

Briefly, the invention contemplates the provision of a miniature toy electric railroad car having an operating crane mounted thereon. The crane comprises a crane chassis pivotally mounted on the car body for rotation in a horizontal plane and including an electric motor, which is reversible by operation of a switch, for driving a single drive shaft mounted on the chassis. A plurality of winches are mounted on the chassis, one of the winches being coupled to raise and lower the crane boom and the remaining winches being coupled to hoist lines which are connected to the boom. Each of the winches are normally biased out of engagement with the single drive shaft 3,499,542 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 Fee invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred and exemplary embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a toy railroad car of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view showing part of the drive system of the car;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the relation of three winches of the invention with a drive shaft;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation view, with the cover removed, of a toy railroad car of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view, with the cover removed of a toy railroad car of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the drive system of the invention; and

FIGURE 7 is a partial side elevation, with the cover removed, showing the control switch of a toy railroad car of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that a toy railroad car of the invention comprises a car body 10 upon which is mounted an operating crane 12. The crane includes a crane chassis which is normally covered by a removable housing 14 having a hinged cover portion 16. As will be seen from FIGURES 4 and 5, the crane chassis 18 includes a bottom wall 20 and a pair of parallel side walls 22 and 24 extending vertically therefrom. The side walls are preferably metal plates and are secured to the base wall, which may be made of molded thermoplastic or thermosetting material, by any suitable means. In order to permit the crane to rotate in a horizontal plane, the car body 10 is provided with an upstanding cylindrical post 26, the top of which is received in a corresponding opening in the base wall.

An important feature of the crane is an operating boom 30, which is pivoted at 32 to an end portion of base wall 20. As "will be apparent from FIGURE 5, the boom 30 comprises two side frame members 34 and 36 which are interconnected by an open lattice 38.

With reference to FIGURES 2 and 6, it will be seen that the drive system for the crane includes an electric motor 40 which drives a Worm gear 42. A gear 44 is engaged with worm gear 42 and causes rotation of a shaft 46 upon whihc is mounted a gear 48, which, in turn, is engaged with a gear 50 mounted on a drive shaft 52 having an enlarged cylindrical clutch portion 54. The motor 40 is mounted on base wall 20 between side walls 22 and 24, and the shafts 46 and 52 are journalled in the side walls and extend therebetween.

As will be seen most particularly from FIGURE 3, the device is provided with three winches 56, 58 and 60. Winch 56 has a reel portion 62 of reduced diameter and a hub portion 64 of relatively greater diameter which is located axially at a position corresponding to clutch portion 54 of the drive shaft 52. In like manner, winch 58 has a reel portion 66 of reduced diameter and a hub portion 68 of greater diameter; and reel *60 includes a reel portion 70 and a hub portion 72 of greater diameter. It will be observed that hub portion 68 and 72 are axially spaced with respect to one another and clutch portion 54 so that they may be brought into engagement with different axial positions along clutch portion 54.

'Each of the winches is provided with a pair of tunnions which extend respectively from opposite ends thereof. One end of the winches is shown in FIGURE 3; and it will 'be noted from this figure that winch 56 is provided with a trunnion 74, winch 58 with a trunnion 76, and

winch 60 with a trunnion 78 at this end. From FIGURE 4, it will be seen that trunnions 74 and 76 extend through slots 80 and 82 in vertical side wall 22 and are journalled in apertures provided through respective control levers 84 and 86. It will be observed that control lever 84 is pivoted on a pivot pin 87 projecting from side wall 22, while lever 8'6 is pivoted on a pin 88 extending from this wall. A third control lever 90 is similarly pivoted on a pin 92 extending from wall 22 and trunnion 78 is journalled in an aperture in lever 90, extending through a slot (not shown) in wall 22. Lever 84 is biased by means of a spring 94, which is connected between an opening 96 through lever 84 and a screw 98 on base wall 20. A spring 100 is connected between an aperture 102 in control lever 86 and a point on side wall 22 which (in FIGURE 4) is hidden by lever 84 to apply a bias to lever 86. Control lever 90 is also biased by means of spring 104 which is connected between a point 106 on control lever 90 and an opening 108 through Wall 22.

Referring to FIGURE 6, it will be seen that the springs served to bias the hub portions 64, 68 and 72 of the respective winches out of engagement with clutch portion 54 of drive shaft 52. In order to restrain the winches from rotation, the hub portions are engaged with rubber brake pads. Thus, hub portion 56 is biased into engagement with a brake pad 110 mounted on base wall 20 of the crane chassis; hub portion 58 is biased into engegement with a brake pad 112 mounted on base wall 20; and hub portions 72 is biased into engagement with a rubber brake pad 114 which is mounted on the inner side of side wall 22.

As will be observed from FIGURE 1, control levers 84, 86 and 90 include portions which project upwardly through corresponding slots 116, 11-8 and 120 provided in the top wall of housing 14 so that they may be readily engaged by a finger of the operator. In this manner, the levers may be rocked against the bias of the respective springs to bring the corresponding hub portions into engagement with the clutch portion 54 of the drive shaft 52. A selected winch is driven by the drive shaft until such time as the selected lever is released whereupon it will 3e biased out of engagement with the drive shaft clutch portion and into engagement with its corresponding brake pad to stop its rotation.

In order to facilitate this rocking motion of the respective winches, the trunnions on the side opposite from the side journalled in the control levers are journalled in openings in wall 24 which are slightly larger than the diameter of the trunnions. This is illustrated in FIGURE 7 where a portion of gear 50 is broken away to show a trunnion 122, which projects from the end of Which 60 opposite to trunnion 78, journalled in a somewhat larger opening 124' through side wall 24. It is to be understood that in like manner, winches 56 and 58 are provided with trunnions, which are hidden behind gear 50, journalled in openings of slightly larger diameter. Thus, each of the winches may be rocked by movement of its corresponding control lever to bring its hub portion into engagement with the clutch portion of the drive shaft.

In order to raise and lower boom 30, the reel portion 66 of winch 58 is provided with a cable 122 wound thereon, which cable may be made of ordinary cotton thread. Cable 122 extends upwardly from the winch to a pulley 124 mounted between one end of a pair of parallel plates 125 and 126 forming the crossarm of a T-shaped member 127, the base arm 128 of which is pivoted at 130 to boom 30. Cable 122 extends back to a pulley 132 mounted at one side of a pivoted member 134 which is journalled between side plates 22 and 24 by means of trunnions 136 and 138 (see FIGURE The cable 122 then extends about a pulley 140 mounted at the opposite end of crossarm 125426, then back to a pulley 142 mounted on the opposite side of member 134, and back again to a point midway of the lower crossarm 125 where it is secured through an openin therein. Thus, it will be apparent that upon engagement of the hub portion 68 of winch 58 with clutch portion 54 of drive shaft 52, the cable 122 is wound or unwound from the reel portion of the winch depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive shaft. This will serve to raise or lower the boom.

It is also to be observed that winch 60 is provided with a cable wound upon reel portion 70 and extending upwardly over a pulley 152 journalled between a pair of lugs 154 and 156 depending downwardly from the end of boom 30. The cable 150 extends downwardly from pulley 152 to support a lifting hook 158 by extending about a pulley 160 journalled thereto. The cable then extends upwardly to and is secured to a crosspin 1'62 extending between the side portions 34 and 36 of boom 30. Thus, upon operation of winch 60, the lifting hook 158 is either raised or lowered, depending upon the direction of rotation of the winch.

In like manner, a second lifting hook 164 is supported on a'cable 166 which is wound about reel portion 62 of winch 56. This cable extends over a pulley 168 journalled between sides 34 and 36 of boom 30. An end of the cable 166 is secured to a pin 170 which extends between the sides of the boom. Thus, lifting hook 164 is also raised or lowered, depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive shaft, when hub portion 64 of winch 56 is brought into engagement with clutch portion 54 of the drive shaft.

In order to control the winding or unwinding of the respective winches, it is necessary to provide the proper direction of rotation to the drive shaft. This is accomplished by making the motor 40 reversible. A control switch 172 (see FIGURE 7) is provided for this purpose. The control switch comprises an actuating member 174 which includes a portion extending upwardly through a slot 176 in the top wall of housing 14. As will be observed from FIGURE 7, the switch actuator 174 has three positions: a central, or neutral position, which leaves the circuit to the motor open; a raise position in which a contact 178 is engaged to cause rotation of the motor in a direction which will cause the cables to be wound on the winches; and a lower position in which contact 180 is engaged to cause unwinding of the cables from the winches. In order to facilitate actuation of switch control member 174, it is pivoted to the side wall 124 on a pivot screw 182. Wires 184 and 186 extend from the respective sides of the switch member to a terminal block 188 on the top of the motor (see FIGURE 5). It is to be understood that, in the manner conventional with toy electric trains, the electric energy for driving the motor is received from electrified rails through conductive wheels on either side of the car body 10. As will be noted from FIGURE 4, the wheels of the railroad car are secured to the car body on Wheel trucks 190 and 192.

The operation of the railroad car of this invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing. Briefly, when it is desired to lift the boom, the switch actuating member 174 is moved to the raise position and the control lever 90 is moved to rock hub portion 72 of winch 60 into engagement with clutch portion 54 of the drive shaft. This causes cable 122 to be wound on winch 60 and to pull the boom upwardly about the pivot at 32. If, on the other hand, it is desired to lower the boom, the switch is moved to its lower position and control lever 90* is then actuated to cause engagement of hub portion 72 with clutch portion 54, thus causing cable 122 to become unwound from the winch permitting boom 30 to pivot downwardly about pivot 32. In like manner, the lifting hooks 158 and 164 may be raised or lowered by moving switch actuator 17-4 to the appropriate raise" or lower position and by actuating the corresponding control lever 84 or 86.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made Without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A toy railroad car comprising a car body and crane means mounted on said body, said crane means including a crane chassis, a boom pivoted to said chassis, a Winch having cable means coupled to said boom to raise and lower the same, motor means mounted on said chassis, a drive shaft driven by said motor means, said winch being mounted on said drive shaft and being normally biased out of engagement with said drive shaft and into engagement with brake means secured to the chassis to prevent rotation of said winch, and manually operated control means to rock said winch from out of engagement with said brake means into frictional engagement with said drive shaft to rotate said winch.

2. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 1, wherein said brake means comprises a rubber pad secured to said chassis.

3. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 2, wherein said winch comprises a hub portion and a peel portion, said cable being wound about said reel portion, said hub portion being of greater diameter than said reel portion and being normally biased into engagement with said pad, and said control means comprising a lever coupled to rock said winch for moving said hub portion into frictional engagement with said drive shaft.

4. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 3, wherein said chassis comprises a pair of parallel side walls, and said winch comprises a pair of trunnions, one of said trunnions being journaled in an aperture through one of said side walls and the other trunnion extending through a slot in the other side wall and being journaled in an aperture through said lever.

5. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 4 wherein said aperture through said one side wall is somewhat larger in diameter than said one trunnion to permit said lever to rock said winch to bring said hub portion into engagement with said drive shaft.

6. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional winch normally biased out of engegement with said drive shaft, pulley means on said boom, additional cable means connected from said additional Winch, over said pulley means and to said boom and including a hoist portion depending from said boom, additional manually operated control means to rock said additional winch into frictional engagement with said drive shaft.

7. A top railroad car as recited in claim 6, further comprising additional brake means, said additional winch being normally biased into engagement with said additional brake means to prevent rotation thereof.

8. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 7, wherein saidbrake means comprises an additional rubber pad secured to said chassis. I

9. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 1, wherein said motor means is reversible and said car further comprises switch means for controlling the direction of rotation of said motor means.

10. A toy railroad car as recited in claim 1, wherein said crane chassis is pivoted on said car body for rotation in a horizontal plane.

HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 254-484 

